Why is my child's haemoglobin so low?

Answered by: Dr Shirish Kumar | Haematologist, WHO, Geneva

Q:My son is about 2 years old. During a recent blood test we discovered that his haemoglobin is 7.4. What should we do to increase it?

A:The causes of anaemia in a child are many. A proper diagnosis will require at least the following: a complete blood count, peripheral smear examination and a reticulocyte count. This would help in deciding what needs to be done further. The commonest cause, though, is iron deficiency in India.